


A Wedding Without Bells

by gamelicker



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Heavy Angst, Marriage, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-10-04 17:52:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10285022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gamelicker/pseuds/gamelicker
Summary: After the war was over, Princess Zelda decided that you would be married to a foreign ruler despite already being engaged to Prince Sidon of the Zoras.





	

You mouth remained in a hard line as Zelda took another photo of you with her Sheikah Slate. It had been like this for a few minutes, the repetitive flash of the camera and your frown refusing to uplift.

“Listen, if you don’t smile for the pictures then it’s going to take twice as long.” Zelda spoke the words as softly as she could. She knew how you felt about the whole arranged marriage situation. The water flowing through the fountain was the only thing that could be heard until you spoke again.

“I didn’t even want to be here anyway.” You muttered to yourself, staring out at the blue sky towards the Zora lands. That’s where you wanted to be.

“It’s your wedding!” Zelda tried to reason. “Look I know you don’t want to go through with this but you have little choice. Since the war has been won we’ve had to rebuild alliances. As a member of the royal family, we have to comply with some choices that are made for us. This is one of those choice, unfortunately.”

You glared at your cousin. She wasn’t being forced away fromt the love of her life to marry another. No, she would get to marry Link in the future and there would be no arguments, no arranged marriages for her.

Finally allowing your thoughts to slip away from this moment, you began to wonder where your lover was. Was Sidon looking up at the same sky, wallowing in his sadness? Or was he once again attempting to politely refuse a suitor his father had suggested to him?

That was another thought that made your heart ache. You and Zora Prince had been so close to getting married before your cousin had ruined it all. Sidon’s father had always liked you and thought you a good fit for his son. However when it was decided you were to marry someone else, he would waste no time in getting his other heir married off as well.

The sound of your name and the snapping of fingers pulled you out of your thoughts, causing you to bring your attention back to Zelda. She put her hands on your shoulders as she spoke next.

“I know you don’t want to do this. But please, think about the citizens of Hyrule. This union will be beneficial for them. I would not be asking you to this for any other reason.”

Your teeth clenched and eye began to water at hearing her words.

“You are not asking me. You never asked me Zelda.” You whispered, slowly raising your voice as you spoke. Tears began to spill down your face and over your white dress.

“You’re a selfish princess. You want this union to benefit the people of Hyrule and yet you do not enter it yourself. Instead, you pawn off a cousin whom you’ve only met but a handful of times since the war ended. You have decided my happiness is a sacrifice you’re willing to make so you don’t have to give up your own with him.”

You looked at Link, who had been leaning up against a tree, silently watching from a distance the past few minutes. You had met him months earlier when he freed the Zora from Vah Ruta. You had laughed at the surprise on his face when he walked into the royal chambers and watched the crown prince embrace a Hylian girl.

You and Sidon had always been a strange pair in the eyes of others, so of course it had been a surprise to the Hero of Hyrule as well. The difference of species and the massive height imbalance was enough for others to assume there could be no relationship between a Zora and a Hylian. You and Sidon had proved anyone and everyone wrong on that assumption.

There had been nothing but thankfulness towards Link back then, especially when he ended the war. Now, when you looked at Hyrule’s Savior, you couldn’t feel anything but resentment. If had stayed asleep just a little longer you be in the Zora domain, relishing in your post-marital bliss. Looking back at Zelda, you spoke once again.

“If you make me go through with this I will be gone by morning. You nor the husband you forced on me will be able to find me. I doubt that will look admirable for your alliances.”

Zelda’s eyes looked you up and down. In your distressed state tears had caused the makeup on your face to ruin your dress. You were shaking from anger and frustration. Anybody could tell you were not a bride happy to be wed in a few days time. Your cousin looked back at her lover, getting a somber nod as confirmation. She turned back to you.

“If you really oppose this marriage then it shall be called off. You can pack tonight and leave in the morning for the Zora domain.”

Your eyes welled up again, tears of relief flowing through them. You would get to go back Sidon, back home. Zelda gave you a small smile and gestured for you to make your way to where the three of you had left your horses to graze.

“Come. Let us get you out of that dirty dress and back to the castle.”

**Author's Note:**

> Should I write a part 2 to this? I'm debating.


End file.
